Improvement in lamp-trimmers



H. L. De ZENG.

LAMP-TRIMMER.

Patented Nom-9, 1.1875.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY L. DE ZEN Gr, 0F GENEVA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LANIPITRIMMERS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 169,785, dated November 9, 1875; application filed April 29, 1875.

To all whom. 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. DE ZENG, of Geneva, in the county of Ontario and State ot' New York, have invented an Improvement in Lamp-Trimmers, ot' which the following is a specicatiou:

'llhe object of this invention is to remove the carbonaceous crust from the Wicks of lamps with uniformity and rapidity.

l make use of a scraper on one arm of a handle combined with a receptacle connected at the other arm of the handle, so that when the dat Wick-tube is grasped between the scraper and receptacle, and the scraper is drawn upward While held at an inclination and pressed against the Wick-tube, the end of the scraper, as soon as it clears the upper end of the wick-tube, suddenly is moved across the same toward the receptacle, carrying the carbon with it. and separating the crust from the wick and tube, and delivering it into the receptacle, so thatthe wick is left smooth and ever ready t'or lighting. This device is distinguished t'rom the cutting scissors or snuft ers that have heretofore been used, because in my trimmer the Wick and tube are simply scraped transversely.

In the drawing, Figure l is an edge view of the instrument asin use. Fig. 2 is a side view ot' the same, andFig. 3 is an edge view ot' the implement with ajoint and handles.

The scraping-edge a is straight, and either of` metal or of' a piece of stiff leather or similar material connected to the metal; and b is the receptacle for the carbonaceous crust from the wick and tube. The receptacle b and scraping-edge a are preferably connected by a bent strip ot' spring metal as forming the arms of the grasping device or handle seen in Fig. 1; but thejoint cl may be used, as seen in Fig. 3, with a spring, e, to open the instrument, and handles f may be extended from the respective arms at the opposite sides ot' the joint to the scraper and receptacle. The trimmer is to be applied to the Wick-tube in a slightly-inclined position, as seen in Fig. l, and pressure given by the thumb and linger, so as to grasp the Wick-tube, and then the trimmer is moved upwardly until the end ot' the scraper clears the wick-tube, when the' scraper will move rapidly across the wicktube and Wick transversely, carrying' with it the carbonaceous matter, and depositing it in the receptacle b. The stop 1) upon the inner surface of the scraper-arm snapping suddenly against the opposite' arm causes the scraper to free itself from the carbon that might otherwise adhere to such scraper.

By this trimming device the Wicks of lamps can be rapidly freed from the carbonaceous crust, so as to be ready for lighting.

The arms may be rigid, and the scraping effected by swinging the instrument across the top of the wick.

I claim as my invention- The lamp-tri m mer made With the scraping edge a opposite to the receptacle b, and nearly parallel with the same, the scraper and receptacle being connected by arms that extend above the wick when in use, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 26th day of April, A. D. 1875.

HENRY L. DE ZENG.

Witnesses:

Gr. W. NICHOLAS. MATTHEW WILSON. 

